Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
QCDA: The Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency has published guidance to support exams office staff in managing results and post-results services.
LLUK: Further education teachers often express concern that they do not have the knowledge or expertise to meet the needs of learners who experience mental health difficulties. The 'Mental Health Matters for FE Teachers Toolkit' has been developed to address that concern by providing materials that teacher educators, or those providing staff development , can use as part of the training of teachers.
Press release ~ 'Mental Health Matters for FE Teachers Toolkit' ~ Workforce Strategy for the Further Education Sector in England
NICE: In draft final guidance published last recently, NICE recommends rituximab, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab & abatacept, in certain circumstances, as possible treatments for rheumatoid arthritis after treatment with a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor has failed.
ScotGov: A new consumer guide for country of origin information on food labels - Country of Origin Labelling Guide (CoOL) - has been launched. The guide was developed in partnership between the Food Standards Agency and the Scottish Government.
It gives consumers in Scotland a concise & readable background on the current rules on country of origin labelling and highlights those foods where specific labelling rules apply.
It gives consumers in Scotland a concise & readable background on the current rules on country of origin labelling and highlights those foods where specific labelling rules apply.
Press release ~ Country of Origin Labelling Guide ~ More information about country of origin information on food labels ~ National Food and Drink Policy for Scotland
NICE: All pregnant women should be encouraged to have their carbon monoxide levels tested to determine whether they smoke, thereby ensuring that pregnant smokers receive appropriate support to quit for the good of their unborn baby.
This change to current clinical practice is one of a number of recommendations in new guidance published recently by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to help women & their families give up smoking during & after pregnancy. It is thought to cost the NHS between £20m and £87.5m each year to treat mothers & small infants under 12 months old with problems caused by smoking in pregnancy.
ScotGov: New fire safety guidance will significantly reduce the financial & administrative burden on many of Scotland's estimated 7,000 bed & breakfast & self-catering businesses. The scope of the new guidance covers B&Bs with up to 8 paying guests and self-catering establishments providing accommodation for up to 10 people.
As a result of the review, the cost to businesses of installing the required fire safety equipment has fallen from an average of £19,690 to just £960.
As a result of the review, the cost to businesses of installing the required fire safety equipment has fallen from an average of £19,690 to just £960.
BIS: The role of engineering advice & horizon-scanning are highlighted in the updated Guidelines on the use of Scientific & Engineering Advice within government, published last week by Government Chief Scientific Advisor (GCSA), Professor Sir John Beddington.
They address how scientific & engineering advice should be sought & applied to enable government policy makers to make better informed decisions. This is the 3rd update of the guidelines.
Press release ~ The Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s Guidelines on the Use of Scientific & Engineering Advice in Policy Making ~ Government response to the consultation ~ Government Office for Science (GO-Science)
NICE: NICE has unveiled the first set of quality standards, setting out a vision of what high-quality care should look like for patients on the NHS. Some 150 clinical areas will eventually have their own set of quality standards, with the first 3 standards published last week covering the treatment & care of stroke, dementia and venous-thromboembolism (VTE) prevention.
GEO: Provisions to make it easier for business to comply with discrimination law will be introduced from October 2010 the Government Equalities Office (GEO) has said.
The first wave of implementation of the Equality Act will go ahead to the planned October timetable following the publication of the first commencement order in Parliament this week. This will pave the way for the implementation of provisions to protect disabled people from discrimination and tackle the gender pay gap.
The first wave of implementation of the Equality Act will go ahead to the planned October timetable following the publication of the first commencement order in Parliament this week. This will pave the way for the implementation of provisions to protect disabled people from discrimination and tackle the gender pay gap.
The GEO has published summary guides to support implementation of the Act. These will be followed by a series of ‘Quick Start’ guides to key changes in the law, which will set out what the new laws will mean for business, the public sector & the voluntary sector.
LLUK: Lifelong Learning UK has published 2 application guides for those teaching & supporting disabled learners. Developed by NIACE, through consultation with the relevant community of practice, the application guides define the skills, knowledge & understanding required in these roles.
